Northern Hawk Owl

Northern Hawk Owl
Surnia ulula

Habitat:	Boreal forests.

Range:	Boreal zones of North America and Eurasia.

Voice:	A whistle-like call, "Ulululululululu..." that last for up to ten seconds; also a purring sound.

Identification:	Length: 14 - 17 inches Wingspan: 30 - 33 inches Weight: 10 - 13 ounces This owl has a large round head with no ear tufts. Its eyes and bill are yellow and it has a thick black stripe on each side of its whitish face. Its forehead is spotted white. Its breast is whitish with dark brown horizontal stripes. It has a long tail that has white stripes.

Diet:		Eats mostly small mammals such as mice and voles, but will also eat birds. Hunts by swooping down on prey and then returning to a perch. Will cache food, which means it will store it to eat later.

Nest:	Begins nesting in April or May. Nests inside woodpecker holes or rotting trees. Will also use abandoned crow, hawk, and squirrel nests. It lays 3 - 10 eggs. The female sits on the eggs for 25 - 30 days. After the young hatch it takes another 25 - 30 days before they leave the nest.

Comments:	The Northern Hawk Owl is a crow sized owl that acts more like a hawk than an owl. Unlike most owls, it is diurnal, which means it hunts during the day. This owl is not afraid of humans, and will let you get very close to it. Although this owl lives in the far north, it sometimes wanders south during the winter when food is low. Two predators of this bird are the Great Horned Owl and the Northern Goshawk.


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